Apparatus for lifting stacks of building units



Dec. 18, 1962 M. E. BROOKS 3,069,196

APPARATUS FOR LIF TING STACKS OF BUILDING UNITS- U w s? ULJLlL-t INVENTOR. Mar on E ,BI'OOKS Hff'o rne gs Dec. 18, 1962 M. E. BROOKS 3,069,196

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING STACKS OF BUILDING UNITS Filed May 29, 1961 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 68 88 INVENTOR.

, 8 /7ariar: EBroa/(s ffarnegs a! LA at United States Patent Office 3,069,196 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,069,196 APPARATUS FOR LIFTING STACKS OF BUEDING UNITS Marion E. Brooks, Columbus, Ga., assignor to Bickerstaff, Inc, a corporation of Georgia Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No; 113,437 2 Claims. (Cl. 294-63) This invention relates to apparatus for lifting stacks of building units and the like, and more particularly to such apparatus in which means are provided adjacent the upper surface of the stack to engage and grip the upper surface of the stack.

When stack lifting apparatus connected to fork lift trucks travels over rough terrain carrying a stack of building units, the operator of the apparatus has to be unusually cautious since the stack might tilt and the building units fall off. Even if the stack is lifted from an overhead support, such as from an overhead boom, the stack must be picked up over substantially the center of gravity of the stack and apparatus or else the stack will tilt.

An object of the present invention is to provide lifting apparatus for stacked building units and the like having means adjacent the upper end thereof adapted to engage and grip tightly the upper surface of the stack carried by the apparatus whereby upon tilting of the stack the individual units are prevented from falling oif.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stabilizer on the upper end of lifting apparatus for a stack of building units which stabilizer is pivotally mounted and Weighted so that the outer edge of the stabilizer is-higher than the inner edge thereof whereby the stabilizer may be easily positioned over a stack of building units.

Another object is to provide in combination with a stabilizer adapted to grip tightly the upper surface of a stack, a plurality of tines adapted to enter openings in the bottom layer of the stack with rotary shafts having gripping elements thereon positioned closely adjacent and beneath the upper surface of the tines to engage the sides of the building units defining the openings in the bottom layer of the stack, and means to actuate the stabilizer and the rotary shafts whereby the stack is lifted and tightly gripped between the stabilizer and the gripping elements adjacent the tines to keep the units from shifting or falling oif the stack.

An additional object of my invention is to provide manually operable means to actuate simultaneously, means on stack lifting apparatus to grip tightly the upper surface of the stack and means adjacent the lower layer of the stack to grip tightly the lower layer of the stack. A singlemanual means is employed and upon actuation thereof, both the upper and lower gripping means grip tightly the stack therebetween and the individual units of the stack are prevented from shifting or falling off the stack.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a modification of my stack lifting apparatus in which the lift frame is lifted from an overhead support and manually operable means are provided to actuate the stabilizer engaging the upper surface of the stack and the gripping elements engaging the lower layer of building units; and,

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the modification of the invention shown in FIG. 1 in which the lift frame is adapted to be supported from an overhead support and manual operable means is provided to actuate the stabilizer for engaging the upper surface of the stack.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which an embodiment of my invention is shown that is adapted to be actuated manually and to be supported from an overhead member such as a boom, I show a lift frame 65 supported from an overhead cable 70 connected to a clevis 63 pivotally connected at 64 to lift frame 65. Lift frame 65 comprises an overhead frame 66 having a pair of inturned channel shaped members 67 thereon which form a guideway for a movable member indicated generally by the numeral 68. Movable member 68 comprises a trolley having wheels 69 adapted to run within the guideway formed by inturned channel shaped members 67. An adjusting screw 71 engages the upper end of trolley 68 in the lifting position of frame 65 and the point of pick-up of the stack and frame may be varied by adjustment of screw 71. To keep the stack from tilting, the stack and apparatus should be lifted at a point substantially over the center of gravity of the stack and lifting apparatus.

Vertically extending back 73 is rigidly connected to overhead frame 66 and tine frame 74 is rigidly connected to the lower end of back 73. Rotary shafts 72 and gripping elements 75 thereon are providedclosely adjacent tines 74.

A stabilizer 76 is pivotally mounted at 77 to a support 78. Support 78 is pivotally mounted at 79 to overhead frame 66. An end of support 78 has pull rods 81 connected thereto at 82. Turnbuckle 83 is provided to adjust the length of pull rods 81. A movable cross member 84 is mounted adjacent back 73 and arms 86 are pivot-ally connected thereto at 87. Links 88 are secured to the end of rotary shafts 72 and upon movement of cross member 84, rotary shafts 72 and gripping elements 75 thereon are rotated to gripping relation. Pull rods 91 are secured to cross member 84 and turnbuckle 92 adjusts the length of pull rods 91.

Back 73 has brackets 93 secured thereto and a U-shaped handle 94 has its ends mounted in openings through brackets 93. The outer ends of U-shaped handle 94 are secured to links 96 that are, in turn, secured to pull rods '81 and 91. Upon movement of handle 94 in a downward direction, pull rods 91 are raised thereby moving cross member 84 upwardly to actuate rotary shafts 72 with gripping elements 75 thereon. Simultaneously therewith, pull rods 81 are moved upwardly to pivot stabilizer 76 downwardly about pivot 79 until gripping or hold-down elements on stabilizer 76 engage in gripping relation the upper surface of the stack.

Lift frame 65 is freely swinging since supported on an overhead member such as a boom (not shown), and an operator of frame 65 must position frame 65 adjacent the stacks of bricks or the like with tines 74 positioned within the openings in the specially stacked bottom layer of the stack. Thus, a manual actuating handle is desirable since it is necessary that a workman position frame 65 manually against the stack of bricks whether or not the tines and stabilizer are actuated manually.

In operation, l-ift frame 65 is lifted slightly from the ground or supporting surface and the operator positions tines 74 within openings in the bottom layer of the stack. Then, as soon as back frame 73 is positioned against a side of the stack, handle 94 may be moved dovmwardly, simultaneously actuating stabilizer 76 and rotary shafts 72. When link 96 on handle 94 passes top dead center position, the gripping means are locked into position and may not be released except by again raising handle 94. Thus, it is obvious that I have provided means to grip simultaneously the upper and lower layers in a stack of bricks or the like for allowing the bricks to be lifted.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided apparatus for handling stacked building units such as bricks with means adjacent the upper end of the stack adapted to engage and grip tightly the upper surface of the stack so that upon tilting of the stack the individual units will not shift or fall from the lifting apparatus. This is desirable when the apparatus is being used over rough terrain, or when the stack tilts even though it might be lifted from an overhead support such as a boom. The stabilizer that engages the upper surface of the stack is pivotally mounted and weighted so that the outer edge of the stabilizer is higher than the inner edge thereof whereby the stabilizer may be easily positoned over a stack of building units. Tines are provided to enter openings in the bottom layer of the stack and gripping elements on rotary shafts adjacent and beneath the tines engage the bricks defining the openings in the lower layer thereof. Means are provided to actuate the stabilizer and the gripping elements on the rotary shafts so that the stack is gripped tightly between the stabilizer on the upper surface of the stack and the gripping elements of the rotary shaft engaging the bottom layer of the stack.

While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lift frame for lifting a generally rectangular stack of building units having a lower layer in which horizontally extending openings are provided, a vertically extending back disposed adjacent a side of the stack and extending above the stack, a plurality of horizontally extending rig-id tines secured to the lower end of the back and adapted to enter the openings in said bottom layer for lifting the stack, a generally horizontally extending support connected rigidly to the upper end of the back and inclined upwardly away from said back, a stabilizer mounted on the horizontal support of substantially the same dimensions as the upper surface of the stack, a rotary shaft disposed beneath and adjacent the upper surface of each of the tines, gripping elements secured to each of the rotary shafts, linkage means operatively connected to the shafts for rotating the shafts and gripping elements thereon between gripping and nongripping positions with respect to the side of the building units directly adjacent the openings in the bottom layer, a guideway in said horizontally extending support, a movable member mounted for free longitudinal movement in said guideway through which the lift frame is carried and adapted for movement relative to a stack on the lift frame, adjustable means limiting upward movement of said movable member along said guideway, a stabilizer pivotally mounted on the lift frame and positioned over the stack, said stabilizer being of substantially the same surface area as the upper surface of the stack and having a plurality of gripping elements thereon adapted to engage the upper surface of the stack,

a handle pivotally mounted on the lift frame intermediately of the back for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, an upper actuating member operatively connecting the handle to the stabilizer, and a lower actuating member operatively connecting the handle to the linkage means of the shafts, whereby upon movement of said handle in one direction to exert leverage on the upper and lower actuating members the stabilizer moves downwardly to engage the upper surface of the stack and the shafts rotate simultaneously so that the gripper elements thereon engage the sides of the building units directly adjacent said openings.

2. In a lift frame for lifting a generally rectangular stack of building uni-ts having a lower layer in which horizontally extending openings are provided, a vertically extending back disposed adjacent a side of the stack and extending above the stack, a plurality of horizontally extending rigid tines secured to the lower end of the back and adapted to enter the openings in said bottom layer for lifting the stack, a generally horizontally extending support rigidly connected to the upper end of the back and inclined upwardly away from said back, a stabilizer mounted on the horizontal support substantially co-extensive in dimensions with the upper surface of the stack, a movable member mounted for free longitudinal movement on said horizontally extending support through which the lift frame is carried and adapted for movement relative to the stack and the support, adjustable means limiting upward movement of said movable member along said horizontally extending member, a rotary shaft disposed beneath and adjacent the upper surface of each of the tines, gripping elements secured to each of the rotary shafts, a plurality of spaced gripper elements on the lower surface of the stabilizer adapted to engage in gripping relation the upper surface of the stack, a linkage operatively connected to the shafts for rotating the shafts in a direction for the gripping elemens thereon to be moved to gripping position with respect to the sides of the lower layer of the stack directly adjacent the tines, and a single manual actuating means extending between and operatively connected to the linkage and the stabilizer to move simultaneously the stabilizer into contact with the upper surface of the stack and to rotate the shafts in a direction so that the gripping elements thereon engage the sides of the building units defining the openings in the lower layer of the stack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,168 Fontaine June 24, 1941 2,250,273 Priester July 22, 1941 2,503,689 Rike Apr. 11, 1950 2,578,016 Rike Dec. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,220,063 France of 1960 

